Vicksburg section crew: calling and lining track (1978)

Compilation of scenes of retired railroad workers (gandy-dancers) from the Vicksburg (Mississippi) Yards reenacting track-laying and lining activities and songs. Interviewees are Rufus Puckett, J.T. Tucker, and Wilbur Puckett; singers are George Johnson (green cap), Mr. Garfield (white shirt) and Henry Harkin (orange cap). (Harkin might be the caller recorded by Herbert Halpert in Tuscumbia, Alabama, May 1939 and identified as "Henry Hankins.") Foreman is R.J. Weaver. Shot by Alan Lomax, John Bishop, and Worth Long in Greenville, Mississippi, August 31, 1978. [mv1666-1669]

[@blackether5094]

Salute to the Elders ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽💎

[@waynejones6656]

Great information. I was hired by Illinois Central Gulf Delta Division in February 1980 at 19 years old in Maintenance of Way to report to Greenwood, MS. Although I didn't work with these Men, they were the people that took care of a green horn. I didn't even know what kind of clothes to wear to keep warm, and surely didn't know anything about railroading. I sure I walked in their footsteps around Johnson Yard, Iowa Yard, Lake Comorant, Marks, Lambert, Swan Lake, Glendora, Tchula, Kern, Sidon, Egypt, and Greenwood. I was born and raised in Memphis, so this work was so far from my reality. It was an experience that I'll always remember. Thank so much for these Real Men. Big memories of a green horn.

[@charlesguinn4316]

Back in the mid-80s, I was 16-17y/o. I met an 80y/o black man who lived a few doors down. He was a Gandy Dancer all his working life! Amazing guy, he told me several stories about it. He also had 20 inch arms, hard as rocks, at 80y/o..! I will never forget him, he was the last of his kind, a real Gandy Dancer..! RIP Sir.

[@unclenash6103]

While working underground in a Copper mine in San Manuel Arizona, I got to work for a while on the Track Crew. This would have been more fun to do when we straightened out and lined up track on the switches. Nothing but respect for the old Gandy Dancers.

[@tuliodamaso123]

Loved this video ! This is some pure and real blues, its so simple and incredible. Thanks for sharing this Alan

[@AN-jz3px]

Glad these guys had their moment

[@RedStoneWhite]

Music is powerful! Body, Mind and Soul, unified through song, moves mountains 👊

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

A real piece of history.

[@kingofthecatnap5422]

Thank you.

[@BeggarsForSomeSoul]

This is where I was inspired to write 'Hear My Train'..priceless!

[@rossbryan6102]

AND TONIGHT. THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS PASSENGER TRAIN WILL ROLL THROUGH, WITHOUT A BOBBLE!! WELL DONE. BROTHERS!!

[@gabrielmuoch5012]

They sacrifice their lifetime happily for upcoming young generations

[@SAXTProductions]

Back when we had real men on the rails.

[@Yu-hx5jo]

yeah only they were treated like slaves especially if you were black, chinese, mexican

[@firestarter105G]

Lost art. This is what is meant by "Making America Great Again." Hard work, harmony and pride.

[@matthewfarrar4485]

I want this America back again

[@paulbookbinder4899]

Shame on our history that these men couldn't vote, or eat where I could eat, or drink from the same water fountain as I did. We have made progress, but we have much more to go America

[@paulbookbinder4899]

Pondr - really you believe that?... Voter suppression laws being passed in red states as we speak, 2021

[@AnnaSeay-ff4nw]

When men were men !!!!!

[@kdd7379]

What is the white dude doing? Like what is his role?! Love the rhythm of the gandy men.

[@robertodell4932]

I think he genuinely didn’t understand but what do I know

[@kyleisslick]

The foreman was eyeing the line. You heard him yell half an inch to the right.

[@therealmccoy2004]

Doing nothing as usual!

[@waynejones6656]

If you'll notice when the Men move to next spot to be aligned, one man has his bar dragging on the rail. This is known as marking the rail. The white man / foreman is straddling the rail and looking at the bar marking the rail. When the marking bar reaches point that needs alignment, that's where they stop. They either continue to move the track in the same direction or he'll say "change your mind" to go in the opposite direction.

[@valbolger6796]

The same as the black dude get the work done and get out

[@Hollowsmith]

It's fascinating seeing the FUNCTION blues used to have in labor. Blues music was literally used to time physical labor actions, and make hard work more fun and more sufferable.

[@Rostov_red_beard]

used to? still does...

[@vincentdow5899]

@@Rostov_red_beard what profession is using song and music to set timing, in the present days?

[@bosshogg7470]

This belongs in the National Archives!

[@steves7896]

None of these guys are in their youth, much respect.

[@oreally8605]

All those men- born probably 1912- 1922.

[@lembriggs1075]

Love these guys and their skills! Dying breed of great men!

[@fuzzy6813]

All I can say is..... this was priceless thank you.... ♥️

[@TheSaltLakers]

This is how you move mountains

[@BossSpringsteen69]

Woo, wee, I'm a lightweight railroader compared to these guys. The amount of physical work , the work schedule.

[@KRISTIANFIGUEROA123]

If I'd known the boss was blind, I wouldn't start work till half passed 9

[@toonytowny9469]

That man's voice at 5:55 is BUTTERY smooth oh wow. Beautiful Mississippi accents.

[@craigholden564]

Who wouldn't want to hang with these guys and join in. Fantastic!

[@danforbes4513]

the singing is so like sailors as to keep in time. on a tug we would sing to pull the ropes so its in time. as if one is pulled faster then the other the ropes can be under strain.

[@therealmccoy2004]

The black man.. the same man who built this country and built the pyramids..the alpha and omega!!

[@ZeeNastee]

Well, not the pyramids at that point. Granted all people stem from the same ancestors and we were all black at one point but we adapted to the areas we lived in. So the first settlers in what is now Egypt would have been black. By the time the pyramids were primarily being built people in the area were browner. At least that's what we know so far, although there were people who were black from other parts of Africa in Egypt at the time. Some were depicted on the walls, they had massive trade routes too so all the people coming and going.

[@victorfranko8317]

Haha.

[@christmasdenier]

Right, people who couldn't farm or domesticate livestock built the pyramids. Makes grade A sense to me bro.

[@christmasdenier]

​@@ZeeNasteeYou couldn't be more wrong lol

[@ZeeNastee]

@@christmasdenier You hate science, I get it.

[@coporal4]

Like the brother said singing wasn't for joy it was coded so you bring the tracks on line . It was work and hard work being out in that damn sun all day.

[@Antipodean33]

So is it better that a machine with fewer men can do this hard work, or are we better off using man power and hence giving work to many more people?

[@eddiesoto2677]

Gods Bless These Union MEN. Please. AMERICA

[@toddr.4630]

Cadence baby !!! 😝 Calling a good cadence is POWERFUL

[@squirrelymay]

Work is rhythm...

[@papaedda]

This is pure gold!!! As usual

[@gregorygilliam8339]

T. B and The Morgan is none other than J.P Morgan the Railroad 🚞 B.O.S.S

[@danforbes4513]

why would any one dis like this its history. there paid well for hard work. its life you work hard you get paid well its hard hot work but i bet you there paid well if they do well as a team.

[@waynejones6656]

They weren't paid that well. They knew how to survive with less. I got hired 2 years after this video was filmed February 1980 at 19 years old for the same railroad Illinois Central which later became Illinois Central Gulf. Although machines were available for more extensive maintenance projects, these Men worked on what's known as a Section Gang. Due to the variation of their day-to-day assignment, and probable in accessible repair location, they didn't have access to machinery that scheduled maintenance projects would have had. Now back to the pay. I was hired at $8.88 per hour in 1980 in Memphis, TN but worked in Greenwood, MS without any per diem. Therefore, I had to take care of me away from home, and my family in Memphis. I'd work 2 months then get cut off (laid off) for 2 -8 months. I'd return to work for 3 - 4 months and get cut off for 8 months. I could certainly plan to get cut off before July 1st because that's when the "June Card" (retirement statement) was issued. I'd be off until early spring of the next year. I worked a total of maybe one year over a two year span of remaining hopeful to work consistently. My final cut off was in April 1982 and Illinois Central Gulf never called me back to work. My seniority was abolished after 5 years of being cut off in April 1987. "Cut off" is a railroad term for layoffs. I also got "bumped" which is a term used when a senior worker takes your position when they've been displaced for various reasons. I had bidded on a position closer to Memphis, and received an award for the position but was "bumped" before my date to report to work. The people that earned the highest pay were in management or Trainman. Trainmen usually were away from home a lot, and as they would say raised multiple families. It's not glamorous. Deceivingly prestigious at best. These men were exposed to all types of carcinogens both on the ground, and on the train. The ground was contaminated with unregulated chemicals, and the locomotives were insulated with asbestos. These men probably suffered, and died from cancer. The trainmen were treated like gods. But these men weren't until there was main line derailment was repaired. During the repair being done, I'm sure they were demoralized just short of a whip.

[@whackadoo2105]

They got that chewtabaccy

[@papaedda]

3:24 the origins of We Will Rock You?!?

[@c.blakerockhart1128]

That's pretty cool .

[@wrlord]

This video came after We Will Rock You.

[@thwackmybonobo]

wrlord The song came waaaay before the video...

[@bluesmusicandwhatnot2845]

I mean, it’s very doubtful Queen knew an African American track lining song, but the fact that they came up with the same rhythm is a testament to the fundamentally African American history of rock n roll.

[@Pilot3778]

@@thwackmybonobo Only by a year.

[@hairnsap]

A lot of torque gets applied when the men respond to the call 👍 thanks for the upload

[@branchcovidian2001]

Each man putting ~100 lbs on a pole and that force loaded 4' down - a LOT of torque with 8 men doing it.

[@garywygant1521]

Wow this is awesome, these are great men

[@thelaneman]

Been waiting to get closer to Jesus...Thank you so so much for this video....found an antique spike hammer head in the dump and here I am.

[@jacob6769]

Coming up on my 3rd year on a section in Canada. Best choice I've ever made.

[@matty101yttam]

still move track like that but without the singing, when the sleepers are concrete and the rail is twice the size you just about need a change of pants if your strain too early :)

[@sidneysmart722]

Why did this bring tears and joyful insight to me at the same time. Thank.

[@thaxtonwaters8561]

Raw beauty.

[@cyoungso]

Pure Gold

[@markchicwak3520]

Great video really enjoyed it. My father worked as a section trainman.

[@terrenceanderson3100]

This the real definition of labor... I tip my hat to these fellows

[@gudlisner501]

This is pure gold.

[@tipsandquips516]

That last singer being harassed by the fellas was funny. Singer: Casey died... Friend: Casey been dead...lol.

[@bujooj]

merci pour vos vidéos :)

[@johnnyleaf788]

Priceless....truly awesome

[@jalilmuhammad8270]

Illinois Central Railroad.

[@waynejones6656]

Shortly after this video was recorded, I was hired by what was known as Illinois Central Gulf after the merger with Gulf Mobil and Ohio. I work in the same department known as Maintenance of Way in the Delta Division where these Men worked. Greenville and Greenwood were near the southern most part of the Delta Division just north of the Mississippi Division that began at Egypt Mississippi. These Men were known collectively as a Section Gang which maintained a certain area / section of track, walkways, switches, and right of ways. Hence the department, Maintenance of Way wasn't exclusively track repair.

[@Rostov_red_beard]

One of the best renditions of Casey Jones I have ever heard.

[@Frank-rv6kj]

The Origin.

[@reneharde3459]

Incredibly powerful

[@_KaiRos-11]

Notice none of them Tools are round or they’d get nothing done. Then they love singing don’t blame nobody else for that

[@williebennett4024]

Makes me proud

[@Xela-j1p]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@sullivant1]

He’s worried about 1/2 inch. Wait til he turns around.

[@angelquintero6115]

Lining by hand ouch

[@erickcervantes1099]

Shout out to the Traqueros

[@janaockova9924]

So much grateful for the idea of "comming back to old days" and make this video for us. Living history. I am a Montessori teacher and this is such a great source for children to see and appreciate the hard work and useful practical point in songs: make the work properly and heal the souls at the same time. Work is joy when on the right track! Thank you so much.

[@coporal4]

Ok you got your accolades in making your aesthetic point about a teachable moment for the children. If you listened to the brother, he tells you the song was basically used for rhythm in order to coordinate their efforts to align the tracks. This method was used by both black and white men to do a job not a JOY. Those men worked out in the hot damn sun in the 19th and 20th century usually run by ruthless bosses. Tell your kids that and not whitewash it. I'm sure if they could have found other work, they would have taken that route. Alot of them were brought up in segregated and gross conditions and working on the railroad provided a man with a 5th grade education good money, but the working conditions were deplorable. Tell your kids that and don't patronize this video as a moment to teach hard work. This crap isn't FUN and they don't do this anymore. The guys in this video are retired and were brought together to show people how it was

[@cw5003]

Montessori teacher who probably like to feel like you are qualified to teach children obviously you are not.children will take your lessons and screw up this world sad

[@domingopartida5812]

Emotional Damage 👁🫦👁

[@lukebarber9511]

Umm.. did you actually listen to what they said at 5:30?

[@TheGridironInsight]

I'm 28 yrs in as a Conductor..

[@toddr.4630]

Great job, much appreciated ❤️✌️

[@maestrovso]

This is most fascinating of our nation's history and oppression.

[@lifuranph.d.9440]

No oppression here.

[@Executnr]

@@lifuranph.d.9440 clearly you didn't watch the video, the man said there was no joy in the singing.

[@lifuranph.d.9440]

@@Executnr I listened to the Video. My reply was subjective.

[@thomasschultz7770]

Work is not oppression man.

[@COLDoCLINCHER37]

@@thomasschultz7770 in times like these, these dudes were definately oppressed. Especially considering videos like these are taken from the deep South. I know it's hard for you to believe but America has a dark history of treating some of its hardest working citizens like garbage. Yes it's in the past, but don't deny that oppression in this video did not exist.

[@SlickArmor]

We need to go back to these days with the overseer and the workers keeping America rolling.

[@hadesmcfadden2982]

nah...we really don't. While an important piece of history to reflect back upon it is most certainly NOT something to "go back to" and I'm sure you know for obvious reasons.

[@SlickArmor]

@hadesmcfadden2982 Yeah, I know. But now we are stuck with feeding and housing all the workers. If wouldn't be half bad if they weren't so violet with amped up sects drives and a gibs muh dat mindset.

[@jmk527]

S

[@chuckjeffery944]

Beautiful. Some people know about work.

[@glenpierce777]

Great stuff.

[@jm.7272]

At 1:04 reminds me of the movie Blazing Saddles, I can see the white dude saying, "ok now don't you know another song like how about, The Camp Town Ladies" or 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot"

[@CurtisBooksMusic]

Gorgeous video. Could do without so much screen time of the white foreman. :)

[@Vingul]

He is in the foreground for about 30 seconds or less out of a nearly 8 minute video, and yet you found that worth mentioning. I'd be lying if I said that's not pathetic.

[@Vingul]

And, yes, I agree with the first two words. I've seen it before and have thought of it many times since. It's good to see it here again, but I certainly didn't expect anyone to be so petty and contemptible in the comment section.

[@CurtisBooksMusic]

@@Vingul Petty? Says the guy who got it his stopwatch. 🙄😂✌️

[@Vingul]

​@@CurtisBooksMusic I did not. I made a simple estimation while watching the parts that include the foreman to try and figure out what could possibly have induced you to make that comment.

[@erastusturnipseed1097]

@@Vingul> "what could possibly have induced you to make that comment." >Soy.

[@talktothehand2012]

I miss these days when black men would actually work, nowadays they just stay on the PS5 and worry about when the new J's are coming out. 😅

[@Ericechild1979]

That’s very racist and bias

[@Peterblack12]

Look at all those Chinese railroad workers!

[@aloeverga3939]

3:20 “I want to go home. I ain’t got no big belly.”